Mr Monk and the Epilogue
by ThymeToWrite
Summary: My rendition of an Epilogue to the show. Adrian reminisces with Natalie on Christmas morning before they are reunited with friends later on in the day. This is a heartwarming, romantic, and reflective tale. Rated T to be absolutely safe.
1. Chapter One: Christmastime

**Disclaimer: I do not own, or have anything to do with MONK. I am only a loyal fan of the show, and this is just for fun.**

_Author's Note: I have written many original stories, but this is my very first Fan-Fiction! I was greatly inspired to write this MONK 'Epilogue' after the show was over. The show and characters have truly touched my heart, and this is what I imagine had taken place in their lives sometime after the show has ended. This is not a typical Monk mystery/thriller. This is an Epilogue, Character study, and yes... Romance. Parts of this story are comical, but other parts are much more serious than the show. You may also notice that I write Adrian Monk slightly out of character... This is intentional as I imagined his personality changes after the finale. I'm not going to lie... I would absolutely love if I could get a few reviews! I welcome constructive criticism as well. This story is already finished, so I will upload a chapter every week or so. Enjoy, and thank you for reading._

The sounds of a cold wind quietly whistling through the walls mixed with images from a dream. Whatever he had been dreaming, it was now becoming a faint memory with every passing second. Within moments, Adrian Monk's eyes slowly blinked awake and whatever images were dancing in his head were now not even a memory. His eyes adjusted to the shapes of the furniture surrounding him. The dark room was cast with a colorful hue from the Christmas lights he had strung around the mirror in his bathroom. Pools of cold air rested on his cheeks, yet he remained toasty and dry under layers of blankets in his soft bed. As comfortable as Adrian was, he decided to rise immediately. He hadn't been this excited for Christmas since, well… Last year. But besides that, never! Christmas was now his favorite holiday. He could imagine Trudy looking down on him, smiling, knowing that her beloved husband was finally happy and at peace during the holiday season. After a deep yawn, a quick stretch, he slid his warm feet into the chilly slippers beside his bed while clicking on his lamp. He slowly slid open the drawer to his nightstand, revealing a photograph of Trudy. Her smile captured forever on film… He touched it softly.

"Merry Christmas, Trudy." He said smiling down at her memory before taking the photograph out and kissing it softly.

He descended the stairway while tying his bathrobe over his pajamas to hear whom he assumed was Natalie causing a bit of a racket. The sounds of a wooden spoon scraping against a skillet and bacon crackling became louder as he neared the kitchen. He was happily surprised and smiled to greet her.

"Merry Christmas, Adrian!" She smiled and turned around in her apron. She was frying up breakfast for the both of them.

"You're up early!" Adrian said still smiling. He rubbed the back of his neck, and sat down at the breakfast table.

"Well, I was so excited to come down here and make you your Christmas breakfast… I couldn't sleep any longer!" Natalie exclaimed. Adrian looked at the clock. It was 7:15 AM

"Plus… You wouldn't stop snoring!" Natalie said with a laugh as she stirred the sizzling hash browns. A puzzled look came over Adrian's face.

"Snoring?" He asked looking up at her, rubbing his hands on his knees.

"Oh, you know I'm just kidding!" Natalie reached over and touched his hand affectionately.

"Here. The eggs are ready. I'll get the hash browns to you in a second…" Natalie scooped the fluffy eggs onto his plate, still steaming hot. The plate was decorated with little red candy-canes and Christmas trees around the edge. Now that Adrian was more festive for Christmas, he had taken it upon himself to decorate his whole house this year. There were wreathes and bows on the doors, garland hanging in the doorways, little villages sitting in fake snow that would light up at night, lights strung around the windows and a grand Christmas tree. He even, with Natalie's help, took it upon himself to decorate the outside of his new home including stringing lights around the front porch! He was happy, genuinely happy. He made no effort to hide it, and everyone around him knew it.

"Be careful, hot pan!" Natalie rushed over and served him some hash-browns and bacon on the same plate as the eggs. Adrian gave the eggs a little shove away from the hash-browns, but other than that, he didn't fuss over them touching too much.

"These hash-browns… Are really good, Natalie!" Adrian said between bites, a smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eye. There was no hiding the Holiday spirit in him.

"Well, they are actually my specialty. I just never get a chance to make them-Oh Adrian!" She said looking into the living room at the Christmas tree.

"I didn't see that last night! Who is that for?" Natalie said with a grin. She was eyeing the very large present that had just appeared under the tree sometime between last night and this morning.

"It's for you…" He stated in mid-bite before laying the fork down and wiping the corner of his mouth with a napkin. "But don't open it until everyone arrives. I want everyone to be here." Adrian said looking right at Natalie, his eyes smiling even more than the grin on his face…

"Of course, we'll open all of our presents then… What time will they be here?" Natalie asked.

"Well…they should be here between twelve and twelve thirty…I was hoping more like twelve—Anyway, look… Are you _sure_ everyone will like their stockings?" He motioned toward the fireplace and Natalie saw all of the stockings Adrian had made for everyone visiting today. For the past two years, He hadn't felt inclined to clean so much. In fact, he was almost cleaning like a normal person now! (Well, at least a very clean normal person.) He would do a few chores every day, and deep clean about once a week. But other than that and his work, he had an incredible amount of free time. At least… compared to before. He had taken it upon himself to hand-make a Christmas stocking for all of his friends. Of course, with his attention to detail, they looked quite nice.

After breakfast, Adrian retired to the parlor and pulled out an old vinyl album. He cranked up his old Victrola and let it play. He never appreciated Christmas music before, but now he loved it. A classic piano rendition of 'O Holy Night' wavered through the horn, and Adrian relaxed on the couch. Natalie untied her apron and hung it in the pantry before joining him in the parlor. She went over to the fireplace and stoked the fire. She stretched out on the brick in front of the fireplace, holding her cold feet up the to the flames. Adrian perched his head in his hand, admiring her deeply. Shortly after, she sat next to him and leaned against his chest propping her feet up on the arm of the couch. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. She turned around and gave him a warm kiss on the neck.

"We've come a long way since last Christmas…" Natalie said looking into his silky brown eyes. Adrian held her tighter.

"I'm so happy we have." He responded closing his eyes. Natalie thought back to Christmas last year. Exactly one year ago, she told him how she really felt. Their feelings for each other had been building immensely ever since Adrian had his breakthrough in finding Trudy's killer and meeting Molly. His life had changed… he had changed. Natalie smiled as she reflected back on that ice-cold Christmas night of 2010, spending it warm and toasty in Adrian's old apartment. She had told him everything, and to her surprise he confessed his feelings for her as well. They also shared their first kiss that night, one that was a long time coming, and one that would never be forgotten…


	2. Chapter Two: An Evening In Heaven

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Monk. This story is just for fun.**

Adrian was still living at his old apartment. He had often talked about moving again, but nothing ever came from it. Last Christmas, Adrian Monk actually woke up in a good mood. He was never happy about Christmas, but this time he had Molly to look forward to… He even was looking forward to seeing his friends… Especially Natalie. He couldn't wait to spend this wonderful day with the woman who had been there for him for so many years. He kept thinking of her in the back of his mind no matter what he was doing. He could be vacuuming, walking, or even scrutinizing the tiniest details of a disturbing crime scene and her smiling face would always be there. In fact, for the past couple of months, he couldn't stop thinking about her at all.

The festivities had gone on pretty late. Everyone laughed, danced and shared stories. Leland drank egg-nog while watching the game, Natalie had surprised Adrian by pulling a big red Santa had over his head when she walked in the door. Everyone was feeling the Christmas cheer and had a great time. They visited Ambrose for lunch, had Christmas dinner at Adrian's, and exchanged presents. It was a perfect day. Adrian felt thrilled that he could finally say that Christmas was enjoyable.

"Well, It's getting late… We still have to stop by my Aunts house…" T.K. said gently tapping Leland's knee. The festivities were dying down. TK and Leland were watching the game, Adrian and Julie were playing a game of chess, Natalie was boxing up leftovers, and Sharona had fallen asleep on Randy's lap under the Christmas tree. Randy looked down at his watch.

"Wow! It's already 9:30… our flight leaves tomorrow pretty early, I have to be back to the grind on Monday…. I wish I could stay longer!" Randy said as Sharona began to stir. Shortly after that, everyone left one by one and they exchanged bear hugs and heartfelt goodbyes.

"Ready to go, mom?" Julie said pulling the keys out of her bag. Natalie and Adrian had retired to the sofa, and she started playing with a brain-teaser that Randy had given him.

"Oh, I'll be home in an hour or so… Just gonna help Mr. Monk clean up this mess." She responded.

"Okay, mom… Drive safe." Julie said turning away with a smirk. She had suspected that her mom was really going to tidy up the mess of course, but she had also suspected something else for a long time, too. That Mr. Monk and her mother… Well, she didn't know exactly. But she had a sneaking suspicion they were maybe more than just friends, if even just a little. She would catch them flirting with each other (or at least, Mr. Monks version of flirting), and there was no doubt about it they had they're 'moments'. She had caught them more than once holding hands, and sometimes he would put his arm around her. There was even the one time Julie saw him kiss her mother's forehead out of the corner of her eye. Nothing serious, but definitely different for Mr. Monk… Then again, a lot of things about him were different now.

Julie left the apartment and Adrian and Natalie sat aloof on the cozy couch. The lights were dim, and shredded bits of colorful wrapping paper lay all over the room. The Christmas tree's lights illuminated the room with warm hues, and the TV was turned to some Christmas special with the volume so low, it was barely audible. Adrian turned off the TV and let out a long sigh. As much as he loved the company of his friends, he also liked being able to enjoy the peace and quiet when they would leave. It was unusually warm in the apartment that evening. Warm and cozy. Natalie continued to play with the puzzle.

"You know, when I was a little girl… I used to sit right next to the Christmas tree at night, with all the lights off in the room and just stare at the Christmas lights and ornaments… I would imagine that there were little houses and towns in there where faeries lived. … Did you ever imagine anything like that?" Natalie asked.

"…No." Adrian replied dryly.

"Oh, come on. You never felt any Christmas magic at all as a kid, not even a teeny bit?" Natalie asked.

"No, not really…" Adrian said nonchalantly. Natalie frowned, feeling a twinge of sadness at Adrian's bleak remark.

"…But I feel it now." He continued. Natalie leaned against him, shoulder to shoulder.

"Good. And now is what matters, right?" Natalie said looking up at him sweetly.

"I suppose so…" He said smirking.

"This thing is… Harder than it looks!" Natalie exclaimed, still frustrated with the puzzle. Adrian rolled his eyes with a grin.

"Let me see." He exclaimed motioning for her to give it to him. She handed it right over. She looked down to adjust the Christmas shawl she was using as a blanket and by the time she had looked up the puzzle was solved! Adrian was staring at her with a smug grin on his face.

"You never cease to amaze me… Ade!" Natalie said with a giggle. Monk paused and raised his eyebrows.

"…Ade?" He said, his grin dropping.

"Ade… It's short for 'Adrian'. Haven't you ever wanted a nickname?" Natalie laughed.

"No… I don't do nicknames." He said slowly and in all seriousness.

"Oh never mind… I don't like it either…" Natalie said sitting up. The egg-nog must not have worn off yet, he thought… but even he was more relaxed than usual. The fact that Natalie had stayed behind had turned Adrian's already great day into a wonderful evening.

"So… Are you going to help me tidy up this mess?" Adrian honestly didn't care about the mess. He could ignore it if Natalie was here.

"Tidy up? …Oh! …Oh we can do that tomorrow!" Natalie said.

"But you told Julie you were staying to help me." Adrian responded.

"Well, if you're gonna arrest me for not cleaning, than go ahead… arrest me!" Natalie said. They both laughed. Adrian was relieved… Natalie didn't seem to show any signs of leaving, despite her decision to not help him clean.

"Oh, Natalie…If it had been over a year ago you had said that to me… I actually would have… Well, I couldn't have done it myself, but I would have called the Captain…" Adrian joked back with her. He felt a flood of emotions as he saw Natalie's face light up with a smile. He couldn't help but smile back. Natalie had realized that this past year had been really, really good for him. Solving Trudy's case and meeting Molly seemed to free him of most of the bonds that kept him locked into his fears and compulsions, but Natalie knew better. He had it in him all along. Anyone who had known him well could have told you that. There was no denying that for the couple of years before solving Trudy's case, he was already significantly better. Natalie had suspected that Adrian would have eventually started overcoming his troubles with or without knowing who had killed his beloved late wife. Whatever the case, Natalie was happy for him. He had even gained some significant social skills! He was no Don Juan, but he had learned to be more confident, more considerate of others, and he had learned when to say, and when not to say certain things. Adrian and Natalie, still leaning against each other on the sofa, were silent for a few moments. It was on an impulse, really. She had not planned to tell him tonight, she really never even had a plan... but her instincts told her now was the right time to take a leap of faith.

"Adrian…" Her tone had changed. "There's something I really want to talk to you about." She took out both of her earrings and tossed them on the table before she leaned toward him and took his hand. Her hand was warm and dry from the winter air.

"Sure, Natalie… You can tell me anything." Adrian said looking right into her eyes. He gave her a small smile that barely exposed his pearly white upper teeth, which Natalie found adorable. He gently put his free hand on her arm and gave it a gentle rub. A look of care and compassion was pouring from his expression. Natalie knew for sure this was the best time.

"Adrian, I know you think of Trudy a lot… I think of Mitch a lot. Not one day goes by that I don't think of him…" Natalie said softly, Adrian lowered his eyebrows and nodded solemnly.

"When I think of Mitch… I remember a man who wanted nothing more than for Julie and I to be happy. It's hard to think of changing my life in ways that I think would hurt him if he were here…which… there are times when I feel like he still is…" Natalie said with a ball forming at the back of her throat. She was able to stifle it quickly. Adrian closed his eyes and gave her a single nod.

"I have had a long time to think about this… I knew that if Mitch could talk to me and just tell me right now what to do he would tell me to follow my heart. It's the oldest saying in the book: 'follow your heart'… and I know that he would really, truly, want me to do that." Natalie said to him. Adrian knew exactly what she was going to say. His heart was racing and he anticipated the rest of her thoughts, greatly.

" I have been in relationships since his passing… I have kissed other men, and have been… Intimate." Natalie said a little quieter. She saw Adrian look away, and was hoping that the last statement didn't make him too uneasy.

"Adrian… I don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable but I really had to say it… to tell you what I need to say." Natalie looked directly into his eyes, and he looked back without a blink.

"I have never felt this way, in my whole life, since Mitch. I see your face when I am going to sleep every night… I can't wait to be with you every day, and when I am with you… I couldn't be happier…" Natalie began to say, when she noticed Adrian looking away, rubbing his eyebrow with his pinky. She was afraid this conversation could go very wrong.

"Adrian… Are you ok? I don't mean to upset you…" Natalie asked. Adrian stared down for a long time. Just thinking. Natalie began to worry that she had just made a grave mistake.

"Natalie… I want to hear what you have to say. Please tell me." He said warmly, looking back up at her again. His eyes were longing something… hopefully her.

"I mean this with all of my heart and soul…" She put her hand to her mouth, feeling overwhelmed. "You are the most… Perfect man I have ever known. I have had feelings for you for a long time… But over the past few months, I have just realized…" She paused for a moment before thrusting both of her hands on his arms. "Adrian. You are the bravest man I have ever known and that is an understatement. You care so much about others. I know this… this might not sound sincere, but I mean this! The lengths you are willing to go to help people, to help me, are literally just extraordinary. You don't ever let anything stop you when it counts. You don't ever let anything fool you… not a thing gets past you, Adrian Monk, not a thing." Her eyes welled up, and she shook her head, smiling. Adrian was quite flattered. Natalie noticed the eagerness in his eyes and continued.

"You are the most wonderful man I have ever known. I mean that in every sense of the word… Your brilliance is legendary, your skills are unheard of… And when you walk into a crime scene, you are glowing. You own that crime scene, Adrian!" Natalie said with a smile, Adrian humbly smiled back.

"And at the end of the day… You're the man that no one can figure out. You're a man who lives passionately for his work…and you're such a gentleman. You would never lie to anyone, you would never hurt anyone…you're a class act, Adrian." She said with a big fat grin. "…There's so much more than just a brilliant detective sitting in front of me. There's so much more than just a man who has had his fair share of troubles… You have so many layers, and it seems the deeper I get with you…" She paused looking down and biting her lower lip for a moment. "… The more I am absolutely in love with you… I love you, Adrian… And so much more than just as a friend." She ended her sweet confession with a big smile and a single tear rolling down her cheek. She hadn't meant for it to be so long, but everything she had been feeling for the past few months, years even, had just poured out like a waterfall. Her eyes were soon like waterfalls as well. Adrian reached up and wiped her tears with his soft, yet masculine hands. He said nothing for a very long time.

"Do you want me to leave?" Natalie asked quietly, dabbing her nose with a tissue. Adrian opened his mouth to speak a few times before finally saying it.

"No, Natalie… Why would I ever want you to leave?" He whispered. Adrian Monk. The man who could say so much in so few words. Natalie's tears stopped and she smiled so wide, Adrian saw dimples he never even knew she had.

"You're a beautiful woman, Natalie… I have always thought so." Adrian said softly. He brushed her cheek softly with the back of his hand.

"I think I should say… something back." Adrian said clasping his hands. He paused for a moment.

"I—I'm not good at this. Natalie…" He looked at her and held up his hands if to say something. There was another pause.

"I used to feel… So guilty about Trudy." Adrian finally was able to collect himself, and the words flowed. Natalie looked right at him the whole time.

"There were times… Before… That I felt so disloyal… When I would go on the occasional… _very_ occasional… date." He said… Natalie smiled.

"But, I am different now. I'm healing, I am happier... Natalie, it feels so good to finally be able to allow myself to be happy." He paused for a moment glancing up at a picture of Trudy.

"What I feel… It can't be betrayal. How can I honor Trudy if I don't even allow myself to feel happiness, to feel love? … I tried to suppress my thoughts about you, Natalie." Adrian began to wring his hands, while Natalie hung on every word.

"I have been…suppressing and trying to stop these feelings for… years." He rested his forehead on his hands for a moment before continuing.

"Here's the thing… For the past few months, especially the past few weeks… I haven't tried to stop myself..." Adrian said looking down. Natalie's eyes begged him to finish.

"What I'm trying to say is… I feel… The same way you do, Natalie…" He said looking back up at her.

They both leaned forward into a warm embrace. They closed their eyes, holding on to each other tightly. Adrian took in her warmth and love and he held her close, rubbing her upper back with his hand. She buried her face in his neck. In the heat of this wonderful moment, Natalie felt the sudden, and overpowering urge to kiss him. It would be a lie to say that Adrian wasn't feeling the same thing.

"So I'm 'a class act'… I like that." Adrian said to break the silence. Natalie let out a little laugh and gave him a little kiss on his neck, eyes still closed. He hadn't been kissed on the neck for such an excruciatingly long time. He had forgotten what it felt like, and was happily surprised by her gesture.

"You really are, Adrian… You really are…" She said back, her voice almost singing. He held her hand with both of his, and they both enjoyed this beautiful moment together. The warmth of each others bodies, almost intertwined, and the way Natalie snuggled up to him. Adrian was feeling absolute bliss, perhaps it was this bliss… this soaring feeling that fueled his sudden impulse. He turned his head lightly as not to disturb her, and said almost in a whisper, deeply into her ear:

"Kiss me, Natalie." His voice was like whiskey and honey.

Without opening her eyes, she turned her head and leaned in very close… their foreheads touching. Adrian studied her thick, silky eyelashes. He could have counted them all. And he did. She opened her eyes for a moment, and he looked ready. She leaned in slowly the rest of the way until her lips met his. The kiss was slow at first. Adrian's lips were trembling, in fact, his whole body was. He began leaning back slightly, as if to pull away. He was rigid. Natalie stopped immediately.

"Adrian, we don't have to do this right now." Natalie said, slightly disappointed. At that moment, he couldn't stand hearing the disappointment dripping her voice. Adrian always had a good bit of spunk in him that he reserved for drastic measures… Now was one of those times. He leaned in and wrapped Natalie up in his strong arms, smiling.

"Natalie… I love you." He said it with all of the sincerity in the world. Without wasting another moment he pulled her in and gave her the kiss of a lifetime. It was magic for both of them. At that moment, Adrian exuded an enormous amount of passion and confidence that surprised Natalie. He kissed her slowly and so deeply. He ran his fingers through her hair with his hand, as his other arm remained around her waist. He wasn't pulling away this time. They both closed their eyes and let themselves go in the moment. Natalie tasted a hint of wintergreen as she kissed him. Their eyelashes brushed against each other's noses, and Natalie touched Adrian's hair. Something she had never done before. It was softer than she had imagined. The kiss didn't last too long, but it wasn't short either. When it ended, they were still touching. Natalie slowly opened her eyes and smiled, her lips still gently brushing against his. He leaned away slowly before opening his eyes.

Adrian was speechless. After a moment in awe, he slowly touched his lips with is fingertips.

"Adrian?" Natalie said out of concern after he didn't seem to move for a while. Slowly, a grin made it's way across his face. Natalie's grin soon followed, and they both began to giggle… the giggles turned to quiet laughter and soon they were consumed with laughter, and love.

"Do you want to brush your teeth?" Natalie joked.

"No, Natalie… I do not want to brush my teeth. …I don't even need a wipe!" He said still laughing. Natalie smiled… slightly in relief. The moment began an awkward one, but ended as wonderfully as anyone could have hoped. Adrian and Natalie had known each other for more than six years now, and had had their plentiful share of strange moments to deal with. She wasn't even Adrian's assistant anymore. A few months after Trudy's case was closed, it seemed the time was right. Of course, Natalie never would have left had Leland not offered her a job as an administrative assistant down at the station. That way, they would always see each other almost every day. Leland knew how inseparable they were, yet he also knew she couldn't be his assistant forever. But they would always be friends… Best friends. They spent hours together almost every day after work, and Natalie still accompanied Adrian to many crime scenes. Julie and Adrian really hit it off that past year as well. He truly considered her to be a daughter, and to Julie, he was her father. Natalie's life was just falling into place, and then she realized she was head over heels in love with Adrian. She didn't quite know how long she was in love, maybe she always was and just didn't realize it. Finally, after all those years… Leading up to one night. This one.

"Was that… how was that for you?" She asked him, slightly embarrassed.

"I think what just happened is enough to answer your question!" He tilted his head down and gave her a devious little grin.

"It was amazing, Adrian…You were amazing and you always will be… Wow! I am so glad to have finally gotten all of that off of my chest. I was honestly scared to death that I would freak you out!" Natalie confided.

"Me too…I thought you wouldn't want to be around me anymore… Which is why, you know, I never told you." Adrian said looking down. Natalie lowered her eyebrows, and leaned on his shoulder.

"Adrian… There's no way I would ever, ever, EVER not want to be around you. You never had to worry about that." She placed a hand on his cheek. "When did you first, have feelings for me?" She asked looking up at him.

"Oh… Natalie, I—I can't remember that…" He said obviously lying.

"You may have better social skills, but you still can't lie! Come on, I know you remember everything." Natalie persisted.

"Ok… But, only if you tell me when you had your, you know, 'feelings' when I'm done." Adrian said.

"I promise." She responded. He sighed and paused as he searched his mind for the answer.

"Well, for me I would have to say… I started having feelings since... the bank vault." He said looking at her.

"The bank vault?" She asked.

"Natalie, when we had been locked in that bank vault, and I thought there was a chance we weren't going to make it… I remember thinking to myself that… I really hoped we would make it because I wanted to be with you… I remember thinking how terrible it would be if the world lost you..." Adrian became very solemn.

"Adrian… I don't know what to say…" Natalie whispered. Not only were Adrian's words so beautiful that they tugged at her heartstrings, but she had just realized he started to have feelings for her before she had had them for him! Adrian was paused waiting for her to tell her story next.

"Well, For me it was when I thought… I had really lost you." She shook her head trying to suppress the emotion.

"Oh Natalie…You don't have to talk about it." Adrian said trying to comfort her.

"No, it's okay… …When I was planning that service for you, and arranging that photo album… I realized that I had lost so much more than just a best friend… So so much…" Natalie began to weep, unable to finish. Adrian gently guided her so that she laid her head upon his lap. He gently stroked her hair as she sobbed quietly. He said nothing, but nothing needed to be said. Her tears eventually stopped, and she snuggled up to him.

"Adrian… I love you. I love you so much." She mumbled, obviously getting dozy. She curled up and closed her eyes, as her breathing slowed, he could tell she had fallen asleep. He pulled the Christmas shawl from the end of the sofa over her and tucked it over her shoulders. The faint sounds of carolers singing in the distance drifted into his apartment. Besides the singing, and the hum of his refrigerator, all was silent. He replayed everything that had just happened over and over in his mind. This day, especially this night… Christmas night 2010, was the happiest day that either of them had had in years. In fact, to the both of them at that very moment, it felt like the happiest day they had ever had.

Natalie's body twitched and she looked up. She felt like she had been asleep for hours, but Adrian was still stroking her hair, smiling down at her.

"Adrian, what time is it?" Natalie asked in mid-yawn.

"Four thirty-five AM." Adrian replied, still smiling, his fingers gently running through her hair. Natalie was shocked. It _had_ been several hours! She sat straight up, surprising him.

"I'm sorry, Adrian… I should have been home hours ago. Julie must be worried…" Natalie was frazzled.

"Just call and tell her you'll be home in the morning." Adrian said nonchalantly.

"Adrian… What am I gonna say? 'Oh sorry, Julie, I just decided to spend the night with Mr. Monk' … No way!" Natalie said grinning, and started gathering up her things.

"Why not?" Adrian asked oblivious. His eyes begged her to stay.

"Oh Adrian… Trust me, the last thing I want to do right now is leave. But, I really have to go home. Julie's home from college and—I'll be gone for just for a little while. Adrian, we love each other! …And it feels so good to say it! In fact, I feel like we have opened another door to our lives—One that I have wanted to open for a long time… don't you?" Natalie said putting one of her earrings in. Adrian nodded.

"Natalie—" He began. Natalie had bent over and was searching the floor for her other earring, but gave up on finding it.

"No … Adrian… Don't worry about a thing. Just get to bed and sleep in tomorrow. I'll be over around noon, ok? But for now, get some rest… you deserve it…Goodnight…I love you" She whispered leaving him with a single kiss on the lips. Adrian closed his eyes, but as soon as she had kissed him, she was gone. He stared at the door. After what seemed like several minutes, Adrian let it all sink in. The smile had still not left his face. If he weren't so tired, he almost felt like dancing! Dancing, and shouting, and… He looked over at a picture of Trudy. She was still smiling at him… She always would. To him, she was always thirty-four years old, looking back at him with bright eyes, smiling. It still hurt looking into her eyes knowing that she was not really looking back at him, and she never would again…But somewhere, in the back of his mind, he could almost feel her. He could almost feel that she was proud of him, happy for him. He looked back at her photograph, the sadness he had felt was now dissipating from his mind.

"Thank you." He whispered to her, before switching off the lights, and heading to bed. He didn't get much sleep that night, the scene that had just transpired only hours ago was still fresh in his memory and he watched it over and over like a movie. Sometime before sunrise, though, he fell asleep.

After his blurry eyes adjusted, he could finally read his alarm—11:42 AM! He bolted upright and quickly got out of bed in a cold sweat. While washing up in the bathroom, his thoughts plagued him. What a dream! What an absolutely wonderfully vivid dream he had last night! But was it a dream? He was sure it was… There was no way Natalie could ever love him! …But it felt so real! After finishing up, he quickly entered the living room to see the huge mess he could ignore no longer and decided to clean it up before breakfast. Or would it be lunch? Who knew. As he stuffed wads of wrapping paper into a trash bag, he felt a sudden sting in his foot.

"Ow!" He screamed out, hopping on one foot over to the sofa where he plopped down. He lifted his hurt foot to find something gold and shiny stuck to it. Thank goodness it had not pierced his skin, he thought. He pulled it off and examined it… Natalie's other earring… He blinked in amazement as the realization had finally hit him: It was no dream.


	3. Chapter Three: Happy Valentines Night

**Disclaimer: I don't own, or have anything to do with MONK. This is just a hobby for fun only!**

_Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, added this story to their favorites, and to anyone who is following the story in general. I really appreciate everyone's thoughts! I know I'm a little late to MONK fandom, but I hope everyone is still interested! Anyway, I have also started working on a new Monk fanfic called "Mr. Monk Visits Dixieland" where Mr. Monk and Natalie visit a small Southern town to help Mitch Teeger's parents solve a murder. That story will also take place in this same timeline (and will be briefly mentioned in a few chapters, just to tie the two together) hopefully I will be posting that one soon! Also, just a quick note to MonkNat08... Don't worry! Chapter two (the kiss) is as outlandish as Monk's character is going to get. I know he goes slightly out of character, but I wanted to make that moment very special. I am also trying to write Monk more laid-back and happy as he was in the last few scenes of the finale' episode (which I just saw last night *tear*) But I do appreciate the concern! Monk is such a wonderful character, any changes I do to his personality will be minimal. To all my reviewers: Thanks so much for the notes, please let me know how I'm doing! Now without further ado... Here's the story!_

As Natalie snuggled up with Adrian on the sofa in their home, one year later, more memories poured into her head. They had both been so intertwined in each others thoughts and memories, they didn't notice that the Christmas record had ended, and the needle was skipping over and over making scratching sounds from the horn.

"Hold on a sec, let me fix that record…" Natalie leaped up and scurried over to the record player where she flipped the record and began playing the other side. "Blue Christmas" began playing through the horn, along with all of its hissing and popping, compliments of a record that was as old as she was. She headed back to the sofa, eager to reflect on warm memories. Her and Adrian were in a reminiscing mood that day as they laughed and cried and poured out their fondest memories to each other. They had both grown so much the past two years as people, and they had both learned so much from each other. About four months after Christmas 2010, Adrian finally decided to leave the apartment. With Natalie's help, he purchased a large Victorian home on the outskirts of town near Tewksbury so he could be closer to Ambrose. He grew up in a craftsman-style home, but the giant blue Queen Anne captivated him ever since he saw it's tiny black and white photo in the real estate ads. Perhaps the house was a bit more than he needed being almost three thousand square feet and having five bedrooms, but he had something else up his sleeve.

"This house is amazing…" Natalie said as her and Adrian pulled up in the driveway of the light blue Victorian home.

"It is, isn't it? Trudy would have loved it." Adrian said staring up at the house.

"Well, I definitely love it. It's elegant… Like you." Natalie said with a smirk. Adrian smiled and they both got out of the car and met with the real estate agent on the porch. Natalie took Adrian by the hand as they admired the front of the home.

"Will this be your first house together Mr. And Mrs. Monk?" The agent asked them as they walked onto the front porch. They both laughed and Natalie spoke up.

"Oh we're not married, I already own a home… I'm actually not sure why he wants a house so big!" She said to the agent. There was a silence.

"Ma'am would you mind waiting inside for us for a moment, please?" Adrian asked the woman, she stepped into the house and softly shut the door. Adrian took Natalie aside to the corner of the house's wrap-around porch.

"Natalie… There has been something I have wanted to ask you." Adrian said holding both of her hands.

"Okay, Adrian." She said nodding.

"I love you so much, Natalie." Adrian said softly.

"I love you too… Is everything okay?" Natalie said, her smile fading.

"Absolutely. I—I wanted to tell you that… Every day that we have been together has been a gift. I want to move on from my old apartment. I want to settle down into life a bit…" Adrian said, obviously anxious. Natalie nodded for him to continue.

"I want you to live with me, Natalie. Here. We can have a room for Julie, and Molly, and we'll have rooms for visitors and we would have all of the space we could ever need or want!" Adrian said excitedly.

"Wow!" Natalie said with a big gasp of air.

"You don't like it." Adrian immediately said, his smile dropping.

"No, no, no! It's just… I am completely stunned right now, Adrian! It's not like I don't love the idea of sharing a home together it's just…" She motioned toward the home. "This is a huge responsibility… Remember last time you bought a house?" She said looking around nervously.

"Absolutely… But back then I was different. I didn't have as much common sense. I mean, I practically bought the house on the spot! I have been thinking about this a long time…" He said. … Natalie believed him.

"I think that this is a wonderful idea. But we really need to talk about this together. I know you were being romantic and surprising me, which I appreciate so much, I really do… but I really would like to sit down and talk about this before we make such a huge change in our lives. We need to talk to Julie, too… and Molly." Natalie said reassuringly. Adrian nodded, seeming a bit like the wind was taken from his sails. Natalie picked up on this right away.

"That doesn't mean we can't look at this beauty while we're here, right? I mean, we may end up living here, so let's take a look!" Natalie suggested. Adrian's big smile came back and they walked, arm in arm, into the stately old home.

Now, eight months later they were living in that big blue house, settled in, together. The grandfather clock in the parlor chimed on the hour, and it's deep serene tone echoed throughout the house. It was a housewarming gift from Leland.

"It's Nine O'clock, is there anything left to do before everyone arrives?" Natalie asked.

"I don't think so… The presents are under the tree, stocking stuffers in… stockings, the food will be ready to go at around eleven… I think we're fine except for some light dusting which we can do later." Adrian said.

"I just dusted yesterday, hun." Natalie said.

"I know but… I think I'll do it again." He said. Natalie shot him a look. "I mean, you did a great job but… Everyone's going to be here and I want our house to look the best it can" He finished, Natalie raised her eyebrows. She wasn't angry, she was used to it. And at least she always had a house that was impeccably clean. All she had to do was remember back to Steven, her ex-boyfriend, and how he would always leave his stuff lying around and that was all it would take to make her thankful again. Plus, he was very helpful whenever something was lost… he _always_ found it.

"Remember the look on Leland's face when we told him about… us!" Adrian said laughing with a slight blush. He was back in the nostalgic mood, so was Natalie. She tilted her head back and gave out a hearty belly laugh at the thought.

"I wish I would have had a camera, that picture would have gone straight in the scrapbook!" Natalie said.

"Well, as you know… I don't need a scrapbook to remember that look on his face." Adrian bragged. Natalie gave him a little love tap.

"Oh you!" She laughed.  
>"Hey it's a gift!" He said with a shrug. "And… A curse." He narrowed his eyes and smirked down at her.<br>"I think we can drop the 'curse' part… Don't you think?" Natalie asked. Adrian shrugged.  
>"For now…" He said, thinking back to Valentines night, 2011. It wasn't a curse when it came to remembering his moments with Natalie… Definitely a gift, a blessing even!<p>

It was a quarter to six, Valentines night 2011. Adrian was straightening his tie in the mirror. Natalie had bought it for him for the special event. It was Purple with little red and pink hearts on it… It was also symmetrical. He stood in the bathroom wearing a black pinstripe suit, red shirt, and the festive tie he was fidgeting with. It was rare he wore a tie. Meanwhile, Natalie was slipping on her dress in her bedroom.

"He's not gonna believe it!" Adrian shouted down the hall, grinning.

"Well, if he doesn't I'll just lean over and give you a big fat kiss!" Natalie said with a sassy smile. Adrian turned around suddenly, and walked out of the bathroom.

"You won't… Actually do that, will you?" He said nervously.

"Of course I'm only kidding!" Natalie replied, he smiled in relief.

"But what would be so bad if I did?" She added. Adrian turned around frowning again.

"Natalie… If I were to kiss you in public, you know, in front of people… It would be like… using a public restroom urinal. Just _wrong_!" Adrian said emphasizing the word 'wrong'.

"Are you seriously comparing kissing me to using a… urinal?" Natalie said shaking her head, hands on her hips.

"Well, yes." Adrian said. Natalie knew better than to feel angry. She had had similar conversations like this with him ever since she knew him. These stubborn little sayings he had would never go away and that's just the way it would be.

"Someday you are going to kiss me in public. You know that, don't you?" She said very matter-of-factly.

"Someday… maybe…" He said slowly. That was good enough for her. They were both getting ready for the Valentines day party down at the station that night. After the party, they both had reservations at an Italian restaurant. But a few days prior, they made a promise to each other. Tonight will be the night that they tell everyone about their relationship. They had been seeing each other for several weeks now. Ever since the end of December, actually. It was still sinking into the both of them that, yes, they were in a relationship…with each other. Every time they thought of it, their hearts would flutter, and that same warm feeling they shared on Christmas night was ever present. It had been hard to keep it a secret as long as they did, but they managed to hide their relationship well…Very well. The only person who knew was Julie. In fact, she had pretty much known since the day after Christmas when Natalie tip-toed through the back door of her house in the early morning before crashing in bed until noon the same day. By the time Natalie had gotten out of bed, Julie was waiting patiently in the living room for her.

"Mom… Is there something about you and Mr. Monk that I should know about?" She asked… And of course, Natalie being the honest woman she is, told her daughter the truth. Now, almost two months later, she was giddy to tell everyone that the mysterious stranger in her life was Adrian.

"Ready to go, sweetheart?" Adrian said gently to his love. Natalie slipped on her heels and grabbed her handbag. They matched wonderfully, Adrian with his suit looked sharp and handsome. They could both hardly wait for the party. Well, Adrian could but… he was getting better about parties.

"Look at us…" Natalie threw an arm around him as they both stood in front of the giant picture mirror on her closet.

"Someday when we're both really old… We'll be able to look back on this moment. We'll never be this young again." Natalie said, a blank stare was making it's wary on her face.

"That's a little… morbid." Adrian said with a small smile.

"No I mean it… We should have been together years ago…" She said, rubbing his back.

"Well, the important thing is, we're together now." Adrian said, looking down at her. Natalie couldn't help but smile back as she saw looked into his smiling brown eyes. For years, Natalie had always been there to cheer up Adrian. Now he was here for her. Adrian had pinned a red corsage onto his suit and they looked like a couple worthy of the red carpet.

"Really, Natalie… You don't think we're… overdoing it?" Adrian asked her.

"Of course not! It's Valentines day… You're supposed to be lovey-dovey and romantic!" Natalie said, her chipper mood returning.

"Are you ready to go?" Adrian asked.

"Let's hit the road!" Natalie said while throwing on her coat. They made their way down the stairs and he opened the front door, holding out his hand to escort Natalie. She picked up a large tin of heart-shaped cookies and stepped outside, Adrian took Natalie's arm and they walked out to her car…there was definitely a nip in the air the night. He opened the passenger door for Natalie, and took the drivers seat. He had been driving for a long time now, and surprisingly, it didn't take him long behind the wheel of a car again to get the hang of it. To anyone else he would seem like a seasoned driver. They arrived at the station, and Adrian parked the car, shutting it off. They sat in silence for a moment, and Natalie could tell he was nervous.

"Nervous about the big reveal?" Natalie asked, rubbing her hands together to warm them up.

"Yes." Was Adrian's honest answer.

"This is a big step for you, Adrian. I know that… But I'm happy you're doing this." Natalie added. he nodded.

"You're right. Whether I tell them or not, you and I are together. Might as well just tell the truth." He said rubbing his eyebrow.

"Exactly. And these are our friends… Don't they deserve to know?" She said.

"They do." He responded.

"Let's crash this party." She said with a big fat grin. They got out of the car, and made their way in.

"And here's the man of the hour!" Leland yelled as Adrian opened the door for Natalie. He raised his glass of champagne.

"Maybe the man of the minute." Adrian said with a smirk, rubbing his eyebrow. Leland leaned back and let out a loud guffaw.  
>"Looks like you're having a good time, Captain!" She interjected.<p>

"Natalie… You do look beautiful tonight." He said right before kissing her hand.

"Thank you, captain…" She said, flattered. His attention turned to Adrian.

"Monk! Buddy… I like the suit!" He then glanced downward. "…And the tie is very un-Monk, I like it!" He said with a laugh. Leland loosened his tie, and unbuttoned his shirt a bit. It was pretty obvious this wasn't his first drink of the night.

"There's cookies and snacks on the table, Champagne, soft drinks… You guys make yourselves at home." Leland said giving a single hard pat on Monk's back before walking back toward the group.

"When do you want to tell them?" Natalie asked in a hushed voice.

"I don't know… It's you're call." Adrian whispered back.

"Let's wait a little bit." She suggested much to his relief.

"Okay." He said quickly. They joined the rest of the group for snacks and refreshments.

After an hour or so of mingling with the officers and their wives/girlfriends, Officer Joe Christie piped up.

"Hey Natalie! So who is this tall, dark, mysterious stranger you're dating… And why ain't he here?" He said laughing with the guys.

"He is here, actually." Natalie said coyly. Adrian looked up from the plate of cookies he was trying to clean the crumbs off of. The guys quieted down a bit and looked around. Leland furrowed his brow with a puzzled look. Natalie walked up to Adrian who had gone rigid, but tried to relax. She put her arm around him, and nudged him to do the same. He slipped an arm around her waist.

"Adrian and I… are seeing each other…" She said smiling, leaning her head on his shoulder. The guys burst out into laughter, and 'awws' including Leland.

"That's a good one, Monk! How did you let her talk you into going along with that one!" He said while turning around.

"Leland!" Natalie barked. He stopped and turned back around.

"We're not joking…" Natalie reassured him. Leland's smile dropped and his eyebrows furrowed again.

"Who is this guy and what has he done with Monk! …Monk, if it is you, blink once if you're okay, and blink twice if you need help, buddy…" He said with a grin giving him another hard slap on the back.

"It's true." Adrian piped up, immediately wincing with regret. Now Leland was listening.

"…Monk?" Was all he could muster, he looked very confused.

"Leland… These past few weeks… Natalie and I-I mean I… Natalie's right." Adrian said grinning, cheeks red.

"Just look at him!" Natalie chimed in.

"I never thought I would be able to… You know, since Trudy… But I never realized that the perfect woman was really… right in front of me the whole time!" Adrian said. Leland just looked at him for a second.

"You're starting to freak me out, Monk." He said flatly.

"Oh, here!" Natalie said in frustration right before planting a huge kiss right on Adrian's lips. It was absolutely terrible. He tried his hardest to fight himself from going rigid. He knew that this really would be the only way to get Leland to actually believe him, so he decided not to fight it. They both pulled apart fidgeting and looking embarrassed.

"…Oh. My. God." Leland said, the shocked expression not leaving his face. He turned around to see the rest of the department staring in shock as well.

"You two… come with me." Leland said opening the door to his office and waving them in. He shut the door behind him as the party continued outside. He walked behind his desk and propped himself over the desk with his arms. He looked up at them for a moment in silence.

"So you're really serious?" He finally said.

"Uh yeah! Do you think I would just kiss him for my health!" Natalie said.

"Same here." Adrian added. Leland looked down for a while. A small smile made it's way across his face.

"Natalie… Monk… Out of all of my wildest speculations, I never imagined you two…" He said. Natalie and Adrian looked at each other both giving a nervous laugh.

"Well… Maybe in my wildest speculations, but anyway! When did this happen?" Leland asked in amazement.

"Here's the thing…" He glanced at a nervous Natalie making sure he could go on. "Well, the night of the Christmas party when everyone was gone… she then told me that… You know … I told her that I did also… We… we… she fell asleep on my lap—" Adrian was suddenly cut off.

"I think he gets the idea!" Natalie said through clenched teeth.

"Anyway… never mind all of that but…It's been on our minds for a long time. Long before Christmas..." Adrian finished by joining his hands together. Leland still stared.

"I'm sorry… You're gonna have to give me a minute—I'm still just a little freaked out. But don't get me wrong… I'm happy for you guys, thrilled for you. But you have to realize… This is quite a surprise for me…" He admitted.

"Absolutely, captain… But we really didn't want to keep it a secret anymore. We thought everyone should know." Natalie said.

"Natalie… I have to ask." Leland said.

"Sure, what?" Natalie responded.

"Does Monk still vacuum at five thirty in the morning, and does it have to be in a grid?" He asked. Natalie laughed, while Monk let out a small chuckle.

"No, no. He only vacuums every other day… Sometimes every two days." Natalie began.

"And the grid thing? I didn't even remember that until you brought it up… Pretty ridiculous really…" Monk said rubbing his nose.

"Don't let him fool you, Captain… He still does the grid." She said.

"I knew it… Well, congratulations you guys… I really mean it, this is a new step in your lives. Especially for you Monk…" Leland said. Monk nodded. Natalie looked out of the blinds in the Captain's office.

"I'm going to go replenish the cookie plate… I'll be right back." Natalie said stepping out of the room, Leland knew it was no accident. Now it was just the guys.

"Monk… How you holdin' up, buddy. Is this whole thing strange to you?" Leland asked.

"Well yes… and no. There are so many things to remember when you're suddenly sharing your life with another person again." Adrian said.

"Like putting the seat down…" Leland mumbled.

"No… Why would that be a problem?" Adrian asked.

"Of course it's not a problem… Monk-You realize you've got a great gal, here. You're a lucky man… Very lucky. And I'm not just sayin' that." Leland said.

"I know I am, Leland, I… Love her." He shook his head. "God, it's been so long since I've used that phrase... I could never imagine living without her…" Adrian confessed. Leland nodded in understanding.

"I have to ask you this, Monk, because I'm your friend. Where does Trudy stand in all of this?" He asked.

"Trudy…" Monk said to himself looking down. "I still love Trudy." Monk began, Leland felt a pit in his stomach, but Adrian continued.

"I still love Trudy… I miss her every day. But I love Natalie. Natalie is my life now…I know she's not Trudy, and I know no one will ever replace her." Adrian said. The pit in Leland's stomach was starting to go away. He paused for a moment before continuing.

"What I'm trying to say is… Natalie is here now. I love her with all of my heart. Leland, the first time Natalie stayed the night with me, I put Trudy's picture in a drawer beside the bed. I have kept it there ever since… I still look at it, but Natalie is the woman I love now… I have a picture of her on my dresser now." Adrian finished. Leland smiled with pride, though Adrian's last statement raised a sneaking suspicion he knew he would have to keep to himself.

"I'm glad you two found each other." Leland said. Adrian nodded with a smile.  
>"What does Dr. Bell have to say about this?" Leland asked, narrowing his eyes.<p>

"Dr. Bell is… Just as happy as I am. He says this is a big step, a really, really big step. Possibly, one of the biggest steps in my life!" Adrian said back, excitedly.

"Well good… I'm also glad that you told me about all of this." He added.

"Of course I would tell you, Leland, I consider you one of my closest friends." Adrian said softly. Leland just nodded, trying not to get emotional.

"Are you going to tell Randy?" Adrian said changing the subject.

"If it's okay with you, buddy!" Leland said back with a smile.

"Sure it is… Anyway, Leland… I feel bad for not asking before—How are you and T.K. doing?" Adrian said sweetly.

"T.K and I… Never been better." Leland said with his smile turning into a grin.

"Good!" Adrian said. "She looks beautiful tonight." He added.

"You bet she does." Leland said. Natalie opened the door and the loud laughter and music from the party came flooding in.

"Hey, the guys have set up a ping-pong table out there, wanna play?" Natalie said sticking her head in.

"I'll watch. I'm a better spectator than actual ping-pong athlete." Adrian said following Natalie out.

"I'll join you guys in just a minute." Leland said. The happy couple smiled and made their way out of the room. Leland just sat there for a moment in silence. He reached for the phone and dialed a number waiting anxiously for an answer.

"Hey is this Benjy? It's Leland Stottlemeyer. How's it goin', buddy!" Leland said.

"Well that's great. Is your mother or Randy around? … Ok." Leland waited for a moment tapping his fingers.

"Hey Randy!" Leland held the phone away a bit as Randy excitedly responded to his phone call.

"I'm glad to talk to you, too… Man, Benjy sounds older! Anyway… Randy, I've gotta tell you something you're not going to believe … Are you sitting down?"


End file.
